Meowth Line/RBY
Meowth can only be found in Blue, on Routes 5, 6, 7 and 8. With the duplicates clause on, it is a fairly common Pokémon. A Pokémon that basically has all mediocre stats but Speed, and evolves fairly late for a two-stager. What would even be the reason to use Persian over any other Normal-type, in this generation? Or better said... what would be the reason to use the only Pokémon that gets STAB on Slash and is capable of permanent critical hits, in this generation? There is something intrinsically satisfying to that Critical hit! message appearing after every single hit. Sadly, even as a factual BP 105 permanent critical hit move, getting very close to an effective BP of 210, Slash is not as powerful as it might seem, and it is also the only thing Persian really can do. It is by no means a lifesaver, and Persian should not be treated as such; however, it still does serve its purpose as a general glass cannon, and having only one uncommon weakness certainly helps its survivability. While not an all-round problem solver like Alakazam, there is definitely some use that can be made out of Persian in a nuzlocke of old Kanto. Important Matchups * Gym #2 - Misty (Cerulean City, Water-type): Meowth's Bite 2-3HKOs Staryu, but Starmie beats it, even if it already knows Thunderbolt from fighting against Lt. Surge. * Rival (S.S. Anne): Meowth can eventually beat Pidgeot with Bite; its Quick Attack takes at least one more turn to KO. Raticate's Hyper Fang is an average 3-4HKO against Meowth's certain 3HKO; if Meowth outspeeds, the matchup will be won, but it will be dangerous to fight until the end otherwise. Kadabra is in the exact same situation as Raticate, as it can 3-4HKO with Confusion. Charmeleon can be 3-4HKOed with BubbleBeam; Ivysaur and Wartortle can be worn down with Bite, as their respective Vine Whip and Water Gun STABs are less powerful, but Ivysaur's Growl and Leech Seed may eventually force Meowth to switch out. * Gym #3 - Lt. Surge (Vermilion City, Electric-type): Meowth 3-4HKOs Voltorb and 2-3HKOs Pikachu with Bite. Raichu must be avoided, as it would 2HKO flatly with Thunderbolt. * Rival (Pokémon Tower): Meowth easily 2-3HKOs Pidgeotto with Thunderbolt and eventually KOs Exeggcute with Bite; Growlithe is 3HKOed by BubbleBeam. Thunderbolt can even 2HKO Gyarados, whose Hydro Pump is also a 2HKO; Meowth wins if healthy, as its base Speed is higher. Kadabra is 2-3HKOed by Bite. Ivysaur still needs to be worn down by Bite, but Charmeleon and Wartortle can simply be 4HKOed by BubbleBeam and 3HKOed by Thunderbolt, respectively. If Persian is already evolved, it will have an even easier time against the rival's team. * Giovanni (Rocket Hideout): Persian's BubbleBeam OHKOs Onix and Rhyhorn, but even a perfectly average 3-hit Comet Punch from Kangaskhan beats Persian's Bite; Kangaskhan should preferably be fought by a proper counter, rather than Persian. * Gym #4 - Erika (Celadon City, Grass-type): Victreebel's Razor Leaf is an unparalleled 2-3HKO against Persian, which has no way of winning the matchup. Tangela, instead, can be eventually KOed with Bite, if Persian manages to get freed from its Bind after a relatively low amount of turns each time; Bite usually 5HKOs, but can also 4HKO. Vileplume, like Victreebel, outpowers Persian, but with Petal Dance instead. * Gym #5 - Koga (Fuchsia City, Poison-type): The two Koffing are 3HKOed by Thunderbolt; Hyper Beam may finish them off after one Thunderbolt, but there is a small chance they will be still standing with a sliver of red health. Both Muk and Weezing must be avoided; the former can pull evasion shenanigans with Minimize and outdamages with Sludge, and the latter is likely to OHKO Persian even from full health with Explosion. * Fighting Dojo (Saffron City, Fighting-type): Hitmonlee's Double Kick is a serious threat to Persian, and must be avoided. Hitmonchan has no Fighting moves; its only physical move, Comet Punch, is weaker than Persian's Thunderbolt, thus it can be 3-4HKOed safely, or finished off with Hyper Beam if its health is already below half. * Rival (Silph Co.): Pidgeot gets 2-3HKOed by Thunderbolt, which also 2HKOs Gyarados; Growlithe is averagely 3HKOed by BubbleBeam, and Exeggcute can be eventually KOed by Bite, providing its Reflect and Leech Seed do not get in the way. Persian also functions as an anti-Alakazam, 3HKOing with Bite against Alakazam's 4HKO Psybeam; Alakazam's Recover may, however, make Persian require healing, and it also discourages Hyper Beam usage, as an unexpected Recover may leave Persian stuck on the battlefield for the recharge turn. Venusaur's Razor Leaf is too strong for Persian, but Thunderbolt can 3HKO Charizard and Blastoise easily. * Giovanni (Silph Co., Ground-type): Bite and Thunderbolt are both 3-4HKOs against Nidorino; Rhyhorn is OHKOed by BubbleBeam, which also 4HKOs Nidoqueen. Kangaskhan is 3-4HKOed by Thunderbolt, but will be outdamaged if Comet Punch hits 5 times in a row; however, a 5-hit Comet Punch still only 3HKOs Persian, and Kangaskhan is highly unlikely to get three 5-hit turns in a row. If Kangaskhan is already below half health, it can be finished off by Hyper Beam. * Gym #6 - Sabrina (Saffron City, Psychic-type): Persian can 2-3HKO Kadabra with Bite, or shoot for the Hyper Beam OHKO, which is highly likely but not guaranteed (it depends on Persian's stats). Mr. Mime is 3HKOed by Bite, but can also be 2HKOed with Bite and Hyper Beam combined, unless it uses Barrier or Reflect on the first turn. Venomoth is 3-4HKOed by Bite; Hyper Beam once again finishes it off around half health or below. Alakazam can 2HKO Persian with Psychic, and Persian cannot OHKO in any way, so it should avoid Sabrina's ace. * Gym #7 - Blaine (Cinnabar Island, Fire-type): Growlithe and Ponyta are 2HKOed with one Bite and one Hyper Beam. Rapidash can be 3HKOed, using Bite twice first and then finishing off with Hyper Beam, though Persian is likely to need to break through its Fire Spins first. Arcanine 2-3HKOs with Fire Blast, which is too much for Persian to beat it. * Gym #8 - Giovanni (Viridian City, Ground-type): BubbleBeam 1-2HKOs Rhyhorn and 2HKOs Rhydon; Dugtrio is OHKOed by Hyper Beam. Nidoqueen and Nidoking are both 3-4HKOed by BubbleBeam as well, and can be finished off by Hyper Beam starting at half health or below. If Persian already knows Slash, it can use it to 3HKO Nidoqueen and Nidoking instead. * Rival (Route 22, pre-Elite Four): Pidgeot is 2HKOed after one Slash and Hyper Beam; Rhyhorn is OHKOed by BubbleBeam, while Alakazam, Exeggcute and Growlithe are 2HKOed by Slash. Gyarados is 2HKOed by Thunderbolt, as usual. Venusaur maintains the upper hand over Persian due to the higher bulk, and Razor Leaf being a potential 2HKO - something Persian cannot achieve - and Blastoise must also be left alone, due to its likely Hydro Pump 2HKO; Charizard can be 3HKOed with Slash without risks. * Elite Four Lorelei (Indigo Plateau, Ice-type): Slash 2HKOs Dewgong and Jynx, with a small OHKO chance against the latter; Thunderbolt is a 2HKO against Cloyster. Slowbro is 2-3HKOed by both moves; Thunderbolt deals more damage, but Persian should switch to Slash the moment Slowbro uses Amnesia. Lapras is 3HKOed by both, but its Blizzard also 3HKOs, so Persian will win unless frozen. * Elite Four Bruno (Indigo Plateau, Fighting-type): Both Onix are OHKOed by BubbleBeam. Hitmonchan knows no Fighting STAB, but has Counter; Persian can defeat it with one Thunderbolt and one Hyper Beam. Persian can take on Hitmonlee as well, as its Fighting moves are at best 2HKOs, and Persian 2HKOs with Slash too; Machamp, however, is not 2HKOable without considerable luck, and should be avoided instead. * Elite Four Agatha (Indigo Plateau, Poison-type): Haunter and the two Gengar can only damage Persian with Dream Eater; although Thunderbolt takes several turns to KO them, a Persian kept awake will defeat them all without a scratch. Slash also lands a 2HKO on Golbat and Arbok. * Elite Four Lance (Indigo Plateau, Dragon-type): Thunderbolt 2HKOs Gyarados and 2-3HKOs Aerodactyl; Aerodactyl's Hyper Beam also does, but needs a turn to recharge, so Persian has a decisive advantage even if outsped. Slash 2HKOs both of the Dragonair, but Dragonite can 2HKO with Hyper Beam, and should be left alone. * Champion Rival (Indigo Plateau): Pidgeot should be 3HKOed by Slash, rather than using Hyper Beam; although the 2HKO is more likely with the Slash and Hyper Beam combination, whereas Slash alone is highly unlikely to 2HKO, if Pidgeot survives the second attack it may threaten Persian with Sky Attack. Rhydon is harmless, and can be 2HKOed with BubbleBeam; Alakazam is 2HKOed by Slash, which also ignores Reflect. Slash also 3HKOs Exeggutor and Arcanine; Gyarados is 2HKOed by Thunderbolt. Venusaur's Razor Leaf and Blastoise's Hydro Pump remain unbeatable for Persian, and so is Charizard's newly acquired Fire Blast; Persian should not fight the rival's starter. * Post-Game: Mewtwo is a bigger and meaner cat than Persian, despite it not learning any guaranteed critical hit moves. Persian should abstain from fighting it. Moves Meowth's initial movepool consists of Scratch, Growl, and for the slightly higher levelled ones, Bite. The latter is likely Meowth's best level-up move after Slash, and its STAB will serve it decently for the early-to-mid portion of the game, with a remarkable base power and the Speed supporting critical hit rates. At level 17, it learns Pay Day, which while not being a very useful move on its own, will literally grant the player infinite cash when needed. Screech comes at level 24, but it wears off after the enemy is defeated; in addition, critical hits ignore all stat modifiers in this generation, so Persian will have no use whatsoever for Screech after acquiring Slash. After evolution, Persian gets the useless Fury Swipes at 37 and finally, at level 51, the one move that gives a meaning to its very existence and role in the team: Slash, which with its base Speed, is a guaranteed critical hit. Via TM, Persian gets access to a few Normal-type alternatives to Slash, such as Body Slam which has a nice paralysis chance, and Hyper Beam for those who like to live dangerously. Hyper Beam is actually a great move on a Pokémon with a high critical hit rate: if the enemy is defeated using that move, the recharge turn is skipped. It may be risky to shoot a beam at full health just hoping for a crit, but weakened foes will fall to it easily. BubbleBeam is an option to consider if the move is not spent on any other teammate, as it allows Persian to actually hit Ghost- and Rock-types; Thunderbolt and Thunder are also available, but greatly contended, and Persian's below-average Special Attack is unlikely to win them over. Recommended moveset: Slash, Hyper Beam, Thunderbolt / Thunder, BubbleBeam Recommended Teammates * Psychic- or Ghost-types: Persian's only weakness is relatively easy to cover, given the multiple Psychic-types available in Kanto. Failing Psychic-types, it is also possible to get a Gastly in the Pokémon Tower. ** Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others: Alakazam, Slowbro, Gengar, Hypno, Exeggutor, Starmie, Mr. Mime, Jynx * Physical tanks: Since Persian is not great at taking hits, it is recommended to have a good physical wall on the team, preferably one that is not weak to Fighting moves, even better if it has a resistance or immunity. ** Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others: Sandslash, Slowbro, Exeggutor, Weezing, Dragonite * Special tanks: Persian's special bulk is about as bad as its physical bulk, and should be supplemented by a proper special wall. Once again, it is recommended to use a Pokémon which is not weak to Fighting. ** Good Pokémon that fit this description include, among others: Venusaur, Alakazam, Victreebel, Tentacruel, Gengar, Hypno, Exeggutor, Gyarados, Vaporeon, Dragonite Other Meowth's stats Persian's stats * At what point in the game should I be evolved? Having a Persian before Erika is ideal; Meowth is underpowered, and Persian's attacking power is not great either, meaning that the sooner the evolution occurs, the higher its chances of survival are. * How good is the Meowth line in a Nuzlocke? Persian is rather unique in its capability of being a near-literal cash cow, and has decent chances of scoring critical hits even before learning Slash. That aside, it does not have a movepool - like most Pokémon in RBY - and even guaranteed critical hit Slash does not hit as hard as one might think, in the long run. It is a good mid-game Pokémon, but will fare about averagely, not brilliantly, in later matchups. * Weaknesses: Fighting * Resistances: None * Immunities: Ghost * Neutralities: Normal, Flying, Poison, Ground, Rock, Bug, Fire, Water, Grass, Electric, Psychic, Ice, Dragon Category:Red/Blue/Yellow Category:List of Evolutionary Lines with Completed Analyses